Abstract

SCHLOTTFELDT, Fábio dos Santos; TRAMONTIN, Sayonara Werner; NAPPI, Berenice Pagani  and  SANTOS, Jairo Ivo dos. Reclassification of Malassezia species: a review of its clinical and laboratory significance. J. Bras. Patol. Med. Lab. [online]. 2002, vol.38, n.3, pp. 199-204. ISSN 1676-2444.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1676-24442002000300006.

The genus Malassezia comprises lipophylic and lipodependent yeast species that recently suffered a change in their taxonomic classification, with the description of four new species: M. globosa, M. obtusa, M. slooffiae and M. restricta besides the already described species M. furfur, M. pachydermatis and M. sympodialis. These yeasts are associated to pathologies that include tinea versicolor, seborrheic and atopic dermatitis, among others. These diseases were previously thought to be exclusively due to the species M. furfur. The taxonomical changes observed for species of Malassezia genus has led to a reassessment of the laboratory methodologies that were formerly used for the identification of the etiologic agent. Morphologic and physiologic variations for each species, termo-tolerance, their requirements for certain long-chain fatty acid sources, as well the composition and characteristics of their DNA are among them.

Keywords : Malassezia ; Classification ; Tinea versicolor ; Diagnostic techniques.